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The Retreat at Dragonfly Bay- Whatever Your Heart Desires & More!

The Retreat at Dragonfly Bay- Whatever Your Heart Desires & More!

At first glance, The Retreat appears to be a small, cozy lakeside cottage. Looks can be deceiving and, upon entering, you will find that that it is oh, so much more!
An exquisitely comfortable & stylishly decorated home w/ every amenity you could ever want & some you never dreamed of!
Your home includes:
* Large, well supplied gourmet kitchen with island and exquisite cherry floors.
* Modern Living Room w/ stunning original art, large 3D HDTV, soaring, beamed ceilings, large windows overlooking the lake, glowing cherry floors, seating for all your guests, gallery-style lighting & beautiful brick fireplace.
* Award-winning Designer master Bedroom Room suite w/amazing hammered bronze ceiling, creative lighting, romantic stone fireplace, comfy leather recliner, elegant crystal chandelier, carved hardwood queen bed & large custom closet.
* The second bedroom (The Loon Room) is as cute as it is comfortable! It sports beautiful, maple floors, custom hand-carved, tongue-in- groove feature wall, a cozy reading corner with a one-of-a kind egg chair and four poster queen bed with loon bedspread and pillowcases.
* The third bedroom sleeps four people comfortably. In addition to housing a large library of books for every taste, this room doubles as a comfortable sitting/reading room in addition to converting to a versatile sleeping area with a loft bed, fold-out couch and loveseat.
* Your Large Tuscan Family Room has copper ceilings, stone fireplace, oxblood tufted leather furniture, vintage cherry bar with tv, antique sword collection, book matched wood floor & stunning lake view.
* Awe-inspiring Greek Spa/exercise room with classic egg and dart ceiling, a club-style elliptical trainer, weight system, steam sauna & a $30,000 Ocean Wave aqua massage table.
* European bath w/ artisan tile walls, custom heated tile floor with decorative medallion inserts, cherry door with artist-carved crystal insert, elegant lighting & expansive custom shower with personalized multiple shower heads.
* Huge secluded Music/Theater/Game room boasts a grand piano, deluxe game table, HUGE 80" 3D HDTV with theater-style surround sound, wireless intercom, blackout blinds, gas fireplace and beautiful artwork.
* All levels are air conditioned and heated with cable in almost every room.
* Not to be outdone, the home's exterior sports a large variety of terrific amenities:
* A private dock on a beautiful, private bay.
* Fabulous fishing lake, even off the docks.
* Three decks-one is perfect for relaxing with your morning coffee, the other two of them overlooking beautiful Dragonfly Bay.
* The lower deck has seating for eight and a hot tub.
* The massive upper deck is big enough for a bevy of swing dancers as well as sporting a large outdoor dining area with deluxe Weber gas grill and seating for eight guests.
* Almost 1 acre of shaded yard with plenty of outdoor games like volleyball, croquet and lawn darts.
* A beautiful private creek with a scenic bridge.
* A large paved fire pit by the shores of lovely Nest Lake.
* 2 garage stalls with generous additional parking complete with RV parking .
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The Area:
* We are Located between 2 delightful towns-New London & Spicer.
* Your head will be spinning w/more entertainment, activities & places to go than you'll have time for! Whatever season, you can't beat this area for recreation & fun!
* 5 minute walk to Glacial Ridge Winery featuring wines from Minnesota, good food & outdoor concerts in the summer!
* 1/2 mile away is the 80-mile scenic biking/hiking/skiing trail that winds from St. Cloud to Hutchinson
* A beautiful 10 minute drive to 1 of 2 live theaters.
* Big Kahuna Fun Park-mini-golf, go-karts, bumper boats & a full arcade w. prizes!
* Twin Spin Movie Theater-cutest darn 4 screen movie theater you ever saw!
* 10 terrific parks within 10 minutes
* Dozens of restaurants from fine dining, pizza, subs, family-style, Mexican or a quick burger & a shake
* Many excellent neighborhood nightclubs w/ liquor,food & music
* Boat Tours-from basic to luxurious!
* 2 full service salon spas
* BMX bike course
* 4 great playgrounds for kids!
* New London boasts the largest collection of artists in Minnesota
*Many, many wonderful antique stores
Events: If that weren't enough, the New London-Spicer area is known for many special events held all year long. Some of these events are:
*Little Crow Ski Show-National Champion Water Ski Team performs Friday evenings throughout the summer!
*Glacial Ridge Winery Grape Stomp & Art Shows-a different artist every week
*New London Antique Car Run-this annual event is for all vehicles 1908 and earlier
*Vintage snowmobile races throughout the winter
*Texas Hold 'Em Tournaments
*New London Studio Hop-tour artists' studios & view demonstrations
*The Fourth of July! is THE event of the summer in Spicer- 3 days of celebration w/outdoor concerts, baseball tournaments, carnival, food fairs, flea market, bike races, a parade & fireworks over Green Lake!
*New London Water Days-boat races, art fair, food court and a parade!
*New London Music Festival-Annual event w/ 3 days of music, revelry & great food.
*Green Lake Regatta-beautiful sailboat races Summer & winter Triathalons
*The famous Polar Plunge!
Our Pledge: Planning an event, whether it's a family vacation, romantic getaway, corporate retreat, family reunion or something else, it's important to know that you are dealing with people you can trust to help you make that important event as wonderful as it should be! We know, we've been there! The Retreat on Dragonfly Bay is our home-a warm, inviting place that is a refuge not only for us but for our family and friends as well. We want you to enjoy this special place as much as we do!
If you are planning a large event, we will gladly try to arrange for additional lodging within the immediate area, even within easy walking distance. In addition, if you or one of your guests have any questions or would like to make special arrangements, we would love to chat with you about your ideas and how we can make them happen.
We invite you to come and accept our invitation to enjoy the aura of relaxation and rejuvenation that is The Retreat at Dragonfly Bay. We look forward to seeing you here soon!

* The second bedroom (The Loon Room) is as cute as it is comfortable! It sports beautiful, maple floors, custom hand-carved, tongue-in- groove feature wall, a cozy reading corner with a one-of-a kind egg chair and four poster queen bed with loon bedspread and pillowcases.

* The third bedroom sleeps four people comfortably. In addition to housing a large library of books for every taste, this room doubles as a comfortable sitting/reading room in addition to converting to a versatile sleeping area with a loft bed, fold-out couch and loveseat.

Our Pledge: Planning an event, whether it's a family vacation, romantic getaway, corporate retreat, family reunion or something else, it's important to know that you are dealing with people you can trust to help you make that important event as wonderful as it should be! We know, we've been there! The Retreat on Dragonfly Bay is our home-a warm, inviting place that is a refuge not only for us but for our family and friends as well. We want you to enjoy this special place as much as we do!

If you are planning a large event, we will gladly try to arrange for additional lodging within the immediate area, even within easy walking distance. In addition, if you or one of your guests have any questions or would like to make special arrangements, we would love to chat with you about your ideas and how we can make them happen.

We invite you to come and accept our invitation to enjoy the aura of relaxation and rejuvenation that is The Retreat at Dragonfly Bay. We look forward to seeing you here soon!

About Shawn

I have toured the world playing music and did not settle in Minnesota until the 1980's. I fell in love with the people and the state and never left. My partner in crime, Joanne, was born in East St. Paul and has lived in Minnesota all of her life.

We are both involved in the music scene in the Twin Cities. I doing 'Music That Tickles!' for thousands of listeners every year and she as a choir director, musical director and freelance singer.

In addition to performing, I work as an interior designer, specializing in all kinds of interior remodeling. We both have a background in design and I think you will find some of both of our tastes in the continuing work we are doing on our home.

When we're not renting The Retreat, it's not unusual to find us throwing a party and entertaining our neighbors, family and friends there. Who knows? After getting to know us, you might be on the list for the next party!

Shawn purchased this house in 2001

Why Shawn chose Spicer

We call our home The Retreat at Dragonfly Bay because that's exactly what it is...a retreat from the worries of the world...a place of refuge, respite and healing.

While looking for a lake property to buy, we saw many different places, most of them lacking in some major way. This particular home, however, spoke to us immediately. It has what some people would call 'Good Karma'.

The older couple that lived here before us had owned the home for over 40 years, raised their family here and loved the home as a part of the family. Their kindness and nurturing spirits still linger on. Upon making an offer on the home, we met with both of these wonderful people and assured them that we would love this home as they did. We always have and always will.

Since purchasing the home, we have made many, many updates. In fact, our neighbors love to come and see what new things we have been up to. As both musical artists and home decorators, we have made an effort to turn an already embracing home into an even more comfortable and eclectically interesting place of relaxation.

To be frank, we never bought this house to rent it. We bought it purely for us. However, after visiting, one of our friends remarked how comfortable our home was and asked if they could rent our home for their family reunion. The Retreat was born.

This is one of those rare breed of homes that seem to defy physics. It seems infinitely bigger on the inside than on the outside. In fact, we've come to expect this remark from everyone who stays with us.

We even had one client tell us we should name our home the Susan Boyle house. He thought it reminded him of the wonderful singer who, despite her rather plain exterior, proved to be one of the most remarkable and engaging singers of our time. That's our home. I can't say it any better.

So, whether you are planning a family reunion, girl's get-together, family vacation or romantic weekend, The Retreat welcomes you and so do we.

What makes this house unique

Many vacation rental homes fall into one of two

categories-

1. Plain, even drab cabins whose biggest asset is their

cheapness.

2. Extravagant, budget-busting houses that often are more glam than real comfort.

The Retreat on Dragonfly Bay doesn't fit into either of these categories.

Once you walk into our home, you will notice the artistic decorating, gorgeous cherry and maple floors, bronze and copper ceilings, distinctive lighting, artwork, four cozy fireplaces, stunning decorative tile and much, much more!

Add to this is a list of luxuries unparalleled by even the most expensive hotels:

Despite all of these wonderful amenities, The Retreat on Dragonfly Bay is remarkably affordable...far less than much more expensive luxury homes without the same luxuries. In fact, you'll find our prices are barely more than “Plain Jane”

cabins that offer only the basest of creature comfort

Guestbook comments from the manager

My wife and I travel often and have stayed at many different places throughout our 30 some years of marriage both alone and with our family. The Retreat at Dragonfly Bay was a very nice surprise in many, many ways.

We were referred to this quaint cottage by friends who had stayed here last year and found it equally enjoyable. They were almost more excited for us to stay here than we were.

I must admit, upon arrival we wondered whether the house could possibly be large enough to house all of the amenities our friends had bragged about. It really looks quite small from the front. However, upon entering the home, it seems to multiply its size by tenfold. It is truly a spacious , open and welcoming house.

The home is truly a retreat in the purest sense of the word. We found the decorating, sauna, massage bed, fireplaces, spa bathroom and other qualities charming and a bit intriguing. Keep in mind that we were staying on a weekend that was extremely cold and wintry and the home was cozy and inviting in every way. There are three fireplaces in the house and different members of the family staked out their claims to each one. I can speak for all of my family when I say that we would like to stay in the summer some time. It must be a lovely summer home. It was an exquisite winter hideaway.

Suffice it to say that we give high marks to the home and its owners and thank them as well as our friends who recommended this lovely home to us.

Located in the heart of the Little Crow River District, Minnesota's premier resort area is only a leisurely 90-minute drive from Minneapolis. It's close enough to be convenient for a short stay and far enough away to feel like you've really gotten away from it all!

Sporting America's highest number of lakes per square mile, Central Minnesota has unsurpassed opportunities to explore the great outdoors year-round. The finest fishing, boating, water skiing, scuba diving, ice fishing, snowmobiling, biking and hiking opportunities await you. In addition, within ten minutes of The Retreat, you will find an award-winning 27 hole championship golf course, a nationally recognized local winery, a multiplex movie theater, two regionally acclaimed live theaters, over dozen playgrounds, an amusement park and arcade, dozens of wonderful restaurants and nightclubs (several with live music), a burgeoning local artist population, a variety of art/music and vintage auto festivals & much, much more!

Golf: Nationally acclaimed Little Crow Golf Course is only a short five-minute drive from The Retreat. This beautiful 27 hole course is one of Central Minnesota's premier public courses. Whether you're a seasoned pro, a beginner or a non-golfer, Little Crow Golf Course has something for everyone including beautifully designed greens, a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere and a full service bar and restaurant. Not to mention their fabulous Sunday Brunch! In addition, West Central Minnesota sports no less than 67 golf courses, all of them less than one hour's drive away. In fact, Minnesota has more golf courses per capita than any other state in the Union! If you want to play on all of them, you better reserve another week or so!

There are 3 bathrooms in the Retreat. Each of them unique in their own way. The first bathroom is near the entrance to your home. A full bath w/ tub & shower, it doubles as a mudroom & destination for the visitor who needs a place to clean up before going into the house. This room has tiled floors, ample linens and is decorated w/ vintage musical prints. The master bath provides privacy & relaxation from a long day. This bathroom provides a roomy shower, vanity, toilet and hair dryer. Plush robes are provided for your comfort. A convenient way to start or end your day! Finally- the exquisite European Spa Bathroom- A few short steps from the sauna, massage table, exercise room & third bedroom/library, this bath provides an oasis for every visitor. No detail has been spared- From an etched crystal dragonfly door, heated tile floor, luxurious multi-head shower, gorgeous Greek ceiling to the plush robes & towels, you will feel royally pampered. Mmmm!

Wonderful Retreat over MEA weekend with kids

The Retreat at Dragonfly Bay was Delightful! We stayed for an extended time over MEA weekend, I had my son 9yo and his friend, Dominic for a 4 day stay. The accommodations exceeded my expectations from viewing the house on line. The house is uniquely decorated with wonderful decorating and lighting. The master bedroom was my favorite place to rest and read while the kids played. The fire pit was fully stocked and a great retreat at night with a basket filled from Shawn with all the necessities, chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers~ a very nice touch. There is a lot of space in the house and fully equipped with cookware, towels, and electronics, I appreciated the front load washer and dryer as well as a wonderful party room separate from the main house with a piano and large surround sound tv and game table, The boys enjoyed the party room and played the piano every day! We will definitely return and I recommend this to families and couples ~ you will not regret~ very enjoyable.

Thank you to Shawn for his hospitality and having all the extras in the home!

Kathy, Cole and Dominic

Review Submitted: 05/01/2017

Date of Stay: October 2016

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Dear Kathy, Cole and Dominic,
Thank you so much for your kind words. We were tickled to have you for our guests and we look forward to having you and the rest of your family in the future. The only complaint we have about you is that when our cleaning crew came in, they commented that you cleaned so thoroughly that they had nothing to do after you left the house.😁򐐽򐘁
Thank you for making us your destination for your special get away!

Girls Getaway!

Nice, clean house that was stocked well. The new addition to the deck was great, we spent most of our time there since weather was so nice the weekend we stayed. The party room that is separate from the house is wonderful place to gather with the large group of 11 that we had. Shawn was easy to get ahold of with any questions that we had. We checked out the winery while we were there since it was a nice little 1/4 mile walk away. Nice relaxing weekend! Definitely would do again!

Leshel

Review Submitted: 11/09/2017

Date of Stay: September 2017

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Thank you Leshel! It was fun having you visit us. You would be welcome back anytime@

Great experience bad business

Went to this cabin it was absolutely wonderful. Upon leaving we cleaned and video recorded the entire cabin to make sure everything was in order as we found it, as so to get our deposit back. We have contacted Shawn on numerous occasions. He hasn't returned our call or text messages to return our deposit. Althrough this was a great get away. I think that this is bad business practices when you are not returning calls to guest when it's time to give back their refundable deposit. Overall I find this to be very shady. The first call to Shawn was filled with excuses so we sent him videos of the cabin showing how we left it. After that our phone calls have been completely ignored. I will be in contact with the BBB

Review Submitted: 30/12/2016

Date of Stay: November 2016

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: For many years we have enjoyed sharing our beautiful home with new friends from all over the world. It has almost always proven to be an enjoyable and enriching experience for both our visitors and for us.
We have always tried to exceed our guest's expectations. Through the years, we have gotten better and better at providing a welcoming and embracing environment for our clients. We are grateful to have had so many people who appreciate our home for what it is-a lovely lake retreat that is designed and decorated with creativity and affection.
With all that in mind, I would like to respond to this negative review with the following facts:
1. The only reason these customers did not receive their security deposit back is because they did almost $3000 in damage to our home- far more damage than all of our other clients combined and far exceeding what their $250 deposit covered. The damage included many missing items, broken glass, damage to the refrigerator, fireplaces, stove, toilets, lights, blinds, doors, linens, games, toys, tools and furniture. Since space is limited in this response, I am including a link where we have included some photos, correspondence and descriptions of the damage. http://thesurfboard.net/dfb/
2. We never have and never will keep a client's deposit without reason. In the many years we have shared our home, we have almost never kept anything and the most we ever held back before was $42.(The clients expected it would be more)
3. We have tried to communicate with these people through email, text and the postal service. They have not responded to any of our correspondences.
4. We returned the full deposits to the clients who stayed at our home immediately before and after these people. Both sent us glowing reviews. Please read them. We didn't apply different standards to them. They just didn't destroy our property.
5. We received a voicemail from this reviewer demanding that, regardless of any damage, they receive their security deposit back or they would leave a negative review. In my book, that's not bad business, that's called blackmail.
6. In spite of complaining about not receiving their deposit back due to the damage they caused, these customers still complimented
our house and our service.
In summation, we will continue to work hard to give every client the most memorable visit we can and treat everyone with respect and consideration. All we ask is that we receive the same treatment from them.

Peaceful Place for Family

We siblings needed a place to stay for two nights when we gathered to celebrate my dad's 100th birthday. I was so happy to find this house. It met our needs well and was so tastefully decorated and in such a beautiful location. The kitchen was well stocked with dishes, pans, etc. We didn't have time to explore all the amenities due to being off-site for the party and such but there are LOTS of options indoors and out. Shawn was a good communicator and did all he could to accommodate our schedule and needs.

Review Submitted: 21/12/2016

Date of Stay: November 2016

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Hi Dorcas!
Thank you so much for the wonderful review. It was our pleasure to have you and your family as our guests. We work very hard to make sure everybody has a great time and you were the perfect clients to have. We look forward to having you back sometime in the future!

Girls Weekend at Drangonfly Bay

This year girls weekend we choose to stay at Dragonfly Bay. Shawn was wonderful to work with and extremely helpful! At the time of our stay the house upper deck was under construction, Shawn made sure for our weekend we had some type of upper deck for us to enjoy. Which was wonderful because the weather was very warm and we spent a lot of time on the deck, especially our morning coffee. It was really neat to find a house with 3 bathrooms, handy since there was 7 of us sharing the house. Plus the house was very clean and well stocked. The area surrounding the house is very beautiful, we were not short of activities to do. Some of us choose to walk, others from our group went biking, we did the winery, shopping, dinner and the last night we watched a movie on one of the big screen TV.

Review Submitted: 08/10/2016

Date of Stay: September 2016

Source: VRBO, from HomeAway

Owner's Response: Thanks for the comments Jackie!
We look forward to hosting you again in the future!